Red Door

Imagine a no humanity vampire is like a puppet. The darkness that consumes them is the master of this puppet pulling at the strings. As each string gets cut, the closer that vampire gets to walking out of the darkness that controls them.

Sometimes the universe has strange ways of teaching you things and taking you on these journeys. And sometimes when you think your dream has been broken, a better one comes along. Or something happens that you weren't expecting.

Klaus knew deep down that the journey to bring Lola's humanity back was never going to be a simple one, nor a quick one. But he wasn't focusing on that, he was focusing on how far Lola has already came. There may be some distance to cover but that doesn't discount the progress already made.

This morning Lola wouldn't have thought twice to save Klaus moments before Mikael would have had his way and stakes Klaus with the white oak. Instead she saved Klaus, imbedding Papa Tunde's blade through Mikael's chest with no hesitation, with a familiar look in her eyes. She seemed almost electrified, lit from within.

Only an hour ago, Lola's goal was to get the white oak to use against the father of her child and yet she stands in front of him. Only an hour ago, she would be repulsed to be this close in proximity to the hybrid, especially as his hand intertwines with hers. Only an hour ago, she would've snatched her hand out of his within seconds but now there is a part of her deep inside that has no desire to let go ever again.

It felt like time had frozen within the darkness of this tunnel and gazing into each other's eyes was the light that was guiding them out. But with the smallest flicker in Lola's eyes, the darkness takes over. She pulls her hand away from Klaus, clearing her throat as she takes a step back, "You should—"

If Lola hadn't looked away at that moment, she wouldn't have missed the pained look in Klaus' eyes. She wouldn't have missed how his entire posture immediately turned tense as soon as she let go. Klaus watches Lola standing in the middle of the woods, expecting her to turn around to face him but she doesn't. With a deep sigh, he turns on his heel walking towards a now unconscious Mikael on the ground before placing him in the trunk of the car.

It was nightfall and yet it felt like the sun was at its peak in the middle of a desert, Lola's skin felt like it was on fire. It was as though she could feel the walls that were covering any ounce of humanity crumbling away and she hated it. Shifting slightly in her spot she feels her foot hit something hard. The silver metallic drip that the moons glow bounces off catches her attention first before her eyes widen.

Briefly looking over her shoulder she sees just as Klaus closes the trunk. Taking a deep breath, Klaus' hands remain on the closed trunk for a moment as he comes to terms with everything that has happened today alone and what his next action would be. He looks towards where Lola stands as she turns to the side when he is able to see her holding onto the white oak stake.

Lola looked up from the stake in her hands in a state of complexity or hesitation. Klaus couldn't figure it out himself. She looks towards Klaus walking towards her for less than a second before gesturing to her car behind him, "I know it's only been five minutes but I'd have thought you'd replace the blade with the white oak by now."

Klaus wears a placid smile as he shrugs, "It's quite satisfying knowing that he's in pain. It would be foolish if I end his pain quickly. I have to say given your determination to get your hands on that stake.." His stare goes to the stake in Lola's hand as her grip tightens ever so slightly, "I'm surprised you haven't used it on me yet."

"And have you prepared for me to do so?" Lola mocks in a sarcastic manner before tapping the stake against Klaus' chest, "Nice try."

The pair both step towards the shack together, Klaus a few steps ahead. The door is wide open to see a young man sitting beside an unconscious Davina. The brunette man can feel the new presence by the door and with a roguish grin he looks towards Klaus, "Oh. Hello, darling. Back to huff and puff and blow the house down?"

Klaus felt nothing but annoyance to the man since their last encounter only earlier this evening and the smug look on the brunette's face only made Klaus' annoyance intensify, "You know, it's funny how often a person's sharp tongue can end up cutting their own throat."

The young man's attention go over Klaus' shoulder when he notices Lola coming into view making his smirk only grow wider, "Fancy seeing you here, sweetheart."

Lola already knew the confused glare that found a home instantly on Klaus' face, she could feel it burning a hole into the side of her face. She ignores it, not even bothering to look over to Klaus instead raises an intrigued brow towards the man within the shack, "Do I know you?"

The brunette dramatically gasps, his hand going against his chest, "You don't recognise me? The handsome bloke who offered you an apple a few weeks back." He leans forward in his seat, elbows propped up on his lap as he wears smug grin nodding his head towards the hybrid by her side, "Shame, if you took it off me then it would've worked and you'd be free of stuck up pillocks. I hear apples are the best thing to keep certain pests at bay." He glances towards Klaus who is glaring back at him, "Don't you agree, pal?"

"Bring the car down, love." Klaus' tone is low, refusing to leave his glare from the man inside as he reaches into his pocket. He takes out the car keys, holding them out beside Lola, "We're taking Davina to the hospital."

Lola could sense the sudden change in Klaus but couldn't piece together why the hybrid suddenly turned all tense. She rolls her eyes snatching the keys out of his hand, "What did your last maid die of?"

Klaus hums in amusement, looking to his side watching as Lola storms off towards the car, "She's still breathing and talking back to me like always!"

Walking towards the car Lola didn't even realise the smile against her lips and the heat against her cheeks. The last thing she expected would to be smiling in the presence of Klaus and her stubborn mind is practically yelling at her to stop. Lola would have listened to her stubborn mind if it wasn't for an unsuspecting presence in front of her.

Lola scoffs, "You are the worst." She stops in her step to see a furious looking Mikael standing beside the car with a tight grasp around Papa Tunde's blade, "How long have you been standing there? You're such a drama queen."

The Salvatore rolls her eyes as she continues to walk towards the car, having zero energy to deal with yet another original vampire. With the white oak still in her grasp, she gestures it behind herself towards the shack, "Klaus is down there trying to wake up.." She presses the stake against her lips as she attempts to stop herself from laughing but fails to do so, "..The teenage girl who controls your thousand year old ass. I couldn't even finish my sentence without laughing."

Mikael brows shoot up as he shrugs, stepping closer to Lola, "It appears my plans have changed."

"Let me guess..you're going to go into hiding for a few months until this.." The heretic tilts her head to the side, narrowing her stare towards the original. Motioning her index finger in a circle in front of his face, "Starts looking like an actual moustache."

Lola still felt weak from the vervain, so it would be inevitable that she wouldn't be able to defend herself. Mikael vamp speeds behind her, wrapping his arm tightly around her neck before snapping it and harshly dropping Lola to the floor, "Something a little more catastrophic."

Klaus was completely unaware of what was happening a hundred feet or so away from the shack. Instead he was completely fixated on revealing what became so obvious he felt like a fool he didn't realise it sooner.

With a hint of a smile, Klaus points towards the young man who kneels by Davina's side, "You've got a way with words."

The pursed lips the brunette shrugs as he slowly stands up straight, "Well, I've travelled."

The hybrid's hands go against the outer doorframe, watching as the man steps closer to him, "You seem to have crossed continents to order to weasel your way into Davina's good graces, thereby meddling in my family business. Strange, isn't it?" The roguish grin that seemed as though it was a permanent fixture on the brunette's face vanishes when he looks away from the original.

Klaus' smile widens noticing the small change in the man's expression, which confirms his suspicions, "Unless it's your family business. You know, ever since my mother and Finn, I was wondering when you might make an appearance. Kol."

The infamous smirk was instantly recognisable even with him being in a different body and the low chuckle confirmed it even further. Kol bows dramatically, "Then the jig is up! Hello, brother."

"It's not that I begrudge you hitching a ride back to the land of the living." There was a smile against Klaus' lips for a moment feeling happy that his younger brother has returned. But as he remembers how Kol has managed to return, the smile fades, "It's just that you're making all the wrong friends, brother. And, I have half a mind to show you how wrong you are."

Kol shook his head, the smirk not fading in the slightest, "But you're not going to do that, are you?" Throwing his hands up, Kol shrugs as his tone turns into more a condescending and mocking one, "Lottie would never allow you to harm her long lost best friend, would she? Have you got a permanent dog house that you stay in now?"

"The same long lost best friend who left her locked in a room as she bled out?" Klaus' hands formed tight fists, thinking back to the night they all lost Kol and the entire aftermath from it, "Lola never got to see you burn last time but I'm sure she'd be thrilled to see it this time round."

The hybrid's eyes darken, a twisted grin appears, "Lola?" He drawls out the heretic's name with a raised voice, "Hurry back..I'm fighting the urge to kill this insolent sod because I know you'd want to do it more."

Kol smirks when there is no response from Lola, half expecting that she would be on his side about this. Klaus' thought process was far different, instantly growing concerned from the silence, "Lola?"

It felt like Klaus' blood ran cold when he approaches the empty car, trunk wide open as well as the driver's door. His jaw tightens, stepping around the car towards the trunk to see it empty. Lola's humanity isn't back..would she have stooped this low? No. Klaus' shakes the thought out of his mind as soon as he thought it, annoyed with himself for even thinking that for a second.

Klaus had no idea how, but this was all down to Mikael and all he needed to do was find Lola and kill Mikael without any hesitation. The more people that are involved in this, the quicker it will be to find them. Klaus' fears were staring to overwhelm him; trying to ignore all of the horrifying things that Mikael has done to Lola in the past, fearing it will all be happening again.

He dials Elijah's number as he walks back towards the shack, "Elijah, where are you? Mikael is loose with the stake. Lola is a hostage, I am weaponless and in need of reinforcement. Urgently." Stepping onto the porch, Klaus' anger only heightened when he sees Kol rocking back and forth on a chair in the corner. He ends his voicemail to Elijah, pointing his phone towards an unconscious Davina, "Wake her up. Tell her to get Mikael back here, now."

"Well, let me—" Kol's brows furrow in fake worry, tapping his chin, "Let me think about that. No!"

"Remember all the times over the years you claimed how special your bond with Lola was?" Klaus' tone was full of hatred, his veins were pulsating with anger, "Is your ego that suffocating that you would completely disregard all of that?"

Kol breathes in sharply, clicking his tongue, "Ah, well..I know Lottie can look after herself. I mean what could I do?" Kol stands up from his seat, glaring towards Klaus as he shrugs, "I'm just an insolent sod with a suffocating ego."

"This is the Kol I remember." Klaus' glare shows more hatred than ever before towards his younger brother, "The one who would only think about himself and would only be willing to help if it benefited you. We're not done here, you and I." With that last threat, Klaus rushes away from the shack.

During the time that Lola spent with all of the Mikaelson family, they all gave her life lessons and she gave them some. With Elijah, he shown her that there can be someone there for you and keep their word to always be there. Lola shown Elijah that despite the horrors that stay locked up inside the red door in his mind, they didn't define who he is.

Lola shown Rebekah how to live her life and actually enjoy it even if that just meant buying the dress in the window that she adored. What it was like to have someone by her side and actually interested to hear her views on things. Rebekah shown Lola what true friendship was like, what it was like to have a sister. The original shown Lola what love in a family should've always looked like.

From the very first moment that they met, Klaus shown Lola she was never invisible like she once thought. Despite the rocky start the couple may have had and the length it took for them to both stop being stubborn..they both shown each other what true love was actually supposed to be like. Lola had shown Klaus that it was okay to let someone in, it was okay to lower your guard around others and allow yourself to truly love someone. She shown him it was possible to love his own imperfections and to not see them as imperfections at all.

Lola was always there to hear Kol's side on anything, no matter how big or small they may have been. It was no secret that he didn't fully feel like he was part of the always and forever vow but Lola was there to show him that he was and always would be. Though Lola may have had her witch heritage hidden at the time, Kol had shown the Salvatore that there was still hope out there to become who she was truly meant to be. They would always have each other's back, devise plans that would support the other and most importantly..they'd never let each other down.

The air began to feel less thick with hostility once Klaus rushed away from the scene making Kol breathe out a sigh. Twisting in his spot he looks down towards Davina, "It would be really helpful if you woke up right about now." He lowers himself to Davina's side, hand running through her chocolate coloured locks, "Not only do we need to get out of here, we need to save my dear old Lottie too."

In the midst of the bayou, Mikael's grip around Lola's wrist is harsh dragging her through the woods. She is practically digging her heels into the ground the further they walk as she rolls her eyes, "You know, you didn't have to be a dick and break my neck. I wouldn't have exactly fought back if you said you were taking me somewhere."

"Are you that eager to meet your end?" Mikael releases his grip, pushing Lola in front of him. His anger only grows when he can hear Lola starting to laugh with her back to him, "Is this amusing?"

Lola's laughter increases hearing the irritation in Mikael's tone. She breathes out standing up straight before turning around to face him, "I can't even pretend to act scared. This isn't the first time you've threatened my life and failed miserably. It's getting really hard to take you seriously these days." With pursed lips, she shrugs her shoulders stepping closer to the original, "This is what? Attempt number five?"

Mikael's jaw tightens as he harshly slaps Lola across the face making her back hit against a tree. She holds onto her jaw wearing an evil grin when she laughs, "Is that the best you can do?" She pushes hair away from her face as she stands up straight, "It's no secret that I'm used to getting a bit of a beating off someone who takes their anger towards themselves out on others. Here's me thinking my father was the original one, but you.." Lola closes the gap between her and Mikael as she scoffs, "You take that title. What's more painful, Mikael? That blade.." Mikael follows Lola's stare to Papa Tunde's blade in his grasp before she glares at him, "Or your self loathing?"

"I have fought more pain than anyone, living or dead." He harshly turns Lola around, once again gripping hold of her wrist as he continues to drag her through the woods, "But, once I feed, I shall be restored. I hear music. And, where there's music, there's food."

The golden glow from a bonfire catches Mikael's attention, his sickening smile widens seeing dozens of people dancing around the fire. He grabs Lola by the throat forcing her to look towards the people in Halloween masks, "Well, well, well, well...what have we here? Hillbilly Halloween." He pushes himself away from Lola as he chuckles to himself stepping further towards the crowd, "Oh, perfect."

A sudden rush of cold brushes past Lola's neck, swiping her hand across it her hand is covered in her own blood. The wound hasn't healed and blood continues to spill out, "What was I?" Without Mikael noticing, Lola presses her bloodied hand against the tree beside her, "Your starter course?"

"Your blood is laced with vervain." Mikael storms towards her, face is full of disgust. He grabs a fistful of Lola's hair before pushing her onto the ground, kicking her in the stomach, "So until that clears, I will find other options."

—✤—

As a vampire everything becomes heightened. It felt like everything was going at a steady pace to then it feeling like a hundred miles per hour. Your taste, your personality, your emotions; everything feels like a light has came on in your mind expanding the horizon.

Hybrid's senses are even more heightened than your average vampire. As Klaus storms through the woods, he follows the scent of blood; Lola's blood. It doesn't even have to be droplets of blood that can guide him, it was just the strong scent of it in the air that did the trick. He knew he was close to them and with the strong scent of blood, fear seeped into his mind on what Mikael may have done to Lola.

The scent of Lola's blood became even stronger as Klaus goes deeper into the woods. It felt like his heart has stopped when he notices the blood against a nearby tree. The closer the gets the more its noticeably a hand print against the tree. Lola did this purposely to help him track them, Klaus knew that and couldn't help but smile about it. 

The golden glow of a bonfire caught the hybrid's attention. The same bonfire that Mikael dragged Lola towards, compelling all of the poor souls to do his bidding. The sun has already began to rise as Klaus finishes feeding off the dozens of bodies to gain more strength.

He comes to his feet sharply as he hears footsteps approach him, he immediately becomes tense. Although his shoulders slump somewhat when he realises it is one of the last living party goers who rushes towards Klaus attempting to fight back. Klaus easily takes the wooden stake out of the man's hand, breaking his wrist in the process. With his other hand, Klaus grips the neck of the human easily breaking it before dropping the now dead human to the ground just as his phone rings,

"Uh, I'm a tad busy. What is it, Hayley?"

"Something has happened to Elijah." Hayley's tone is quiet, walking through an empty garage lot. She looks around the cars with smashed windows and blood smeared all over them, "He was supposed to be our decoy last night, and now he's vanished. There's blood everywhere—" To her side Marcel kneels beside a large pool of blood, easily recognisable as vampire blood, "Werewolf and vampire. There's a trail. I need you to help us track it."

"Well, as much as I might like to help you find my brother," Another partier attempts to crawl towards Klaus until the hybrid kicks him in the face knocking him backwards, "I have more pressing matters as the moment."

"What's more important than your own brother!?"

Klaus scoffs at Hayley's harsh tone before rolling his eyes, "My life? Davina had Mikael on a magical leash, and it broke. Now Mikael has Tunde's blade, the white oak stake, and Lola." His eyes are closed, breathing in heavily, "I was moments away from bringing Lola back and now—"

In the parking garage, Marcel hears the entire conversation and the second Lola's name was brought up he comes to his feet taking Hayley's phone, "Where are you?"

"I'm gonna get her back." Another partier tries once again to attack Klaus, so Klaus grabs him in a choke-hold, "And then, I'm gonna end this. Either Mikael or I will be ash by day's end. And, if you do find my brother, please, tell him I could do with a hand?" With ease Klaus snaps the human's neck with one hand, dropping him to the ground.

Hearing the call end on their end, a chill ran down Hayley and Marcel's spines simultaneously. A concerned Marcel locks his stare with anxious looking Hayley who's colour has drained completely from her face. Marcel places his hand against Hayley's back motioning her to walk out with him, "We need to find Klaus. Find Lola. Now."

—✤—

When vervain is in a vampire's system, there will always be that small twinge of discomfort that they feel. Almost like the beginning of a human getting a fever, the more vervain that is in their system the worse it would feel. 

Lola could feel herself becoming less weak as the vervain that Klaus injected her with, slowly leave her system. Pressing her hand to the nape of her neck she no longer feels the bite mark that Mikael left after he snapped her neck, planning to feed off her for strength. She feels less weak, but her strength doesn't increase. The loss of blood from her wound and the lack of blood she has fed on was to counter for the littlest of strength she had left.

Slumped in a corner within an abandoned warehouse, Lola watches Mikael a few steps away pacing as he waits for Klaus to find them. Even if Lola didn't purposely leave a marking of her blood she knew that Klaus would find them; he was always good at finding Lola. Whatever it takes.

The heretic became frustrated with herself whenever she thought of Klaus because a smile would form against her lips. She knew there was a time when she loved him, but she didn't anymore. It's not possible to feel anything towards anyone when you have no emotions. At the start of tonight she felt anger towards him but now as she watches Mikael continuing to pace, the anger was aimed straight towards him. 

"Instead of using this new life you've been given to try and kill Klaus, why don't you get yourself into theatre?" Lola's blunt yet croaky voice brings Mikael out of this thoughts, stopping in his step and glaring towards the Salvatore who grins, "That little performance in the woods, getting those low life's to do your bidding is something that dumb people would pay to see on stage! Just try not to light this one on fire."

Mikael laughs viciously, looking at the weak stature of the heretic sitting in front of him, "You're just as pathetic and weak as Niklaus. It's the best thing that the abomination you created never survived. I supposed I felt some sort of satisfaction that I wouldn't have had any links to the monstrosity and—"

The original pauses in his speech, frowning towards Lola who closes her eyes and starts to fake snore obnoxiously loud. She stops when she opens her eyes, trying to fight back a grin at the annoyed expression on Mikael's face, "Oh, I'm sorry. Was that rude?"

"I'm just growing rather tired because it is just so god damn boring hearing all of your bullshit for what feels like the hundredth time!" Lola comes to her feet, stepping closer to Mikael as she wears a patronising look on her face, "Okay, I get it. You hate Klaus. You hate that he has the wolf gene. Your wife cheated on you. Get over it! Klaus didn't ask to be born part dog."

Lola turns to walk away until she has the urge to bite even further. She twists around in her spot facing Mikael again as she laughs, "Actually, when I think about it..you do realise all of this is your fault, right? Shall I enlighten you?"

Mikael grip against the white oak and blade tighten, eyes full of hatred towards the grinning Salvatore, "I'm sure you'll bore me with your conclusion either way, witch."

Lola's brows shoot up in fake surprise before she scoffs, "You say that in such an aggressive tone. Like your entire family weren't witches before you killed them all to turn them into what they are now." She clicks her fingers together right in Mikael's face, "But, that right there! You helped your wife turn your children into vampires. And before that you clearly didn't pay your wife enough attention or else she wouldn't have cheated on you!" 

She can see the anger building up in the original, hearing his heart rate increase as his rage intensifies. She takes a step back, shrugging her shoulders as the patronising grin never leaves her face, "Thus, Klaus would never exist. So, technically everything that has happened is all of your fault."

"How dare you." Mikael seethes dropping the stake and blade, he rushes towards Lola pushing her against the wall behind her. His hands grip around Lola's arms tightly pressing into her skin as he harshly hits her back against the wall, "How dare you speak to me like that."

Lola lets out an amused breath, glancing Mikael up and down, "If you tried this with your wife back in the day then I'm sure she wouldn't have cheated on you."

The urge to rip Lola's heart out of her chest within seconds was something Mikael was painfully fighting against. His plan is to kill her but he wanted to do it in front of Klaus to cause him pain. Mikael remains silent, pushing Lola against the wall one last time before turning his back on her which makes Lola laugh, "God, it is so lovely to see you again, Mikael. Truly. I'm all for holding grudges, but this?"

She couldn't quite understand why she felt the need to defend Klaus when a few hours ago she was planning to kill him herself. But the thought of the man before her known as the destroyer, the man who's aim is to bring her life and Klaus' life to an end thinking he is going to succeed in his plan provoked her, "You've spent Klaus' entire life hating him because of something that wasn't even his fault!"

"I didn't always hate him." Mikael shakes his head, turning to face Lola as his face shows no emotion, "When Klaus was born, I was overjoyed. I thought; this one..this one has the eyes of a warrior. He will be worthy. But, my hope was short-lived. And, when I found out that he wasn't really my son, my relief was glorious! But, that passed with the knowledge that he was begat of a beast."

"Right.." Lola drawls out in a bored, monotoned voice, "So being born was Klaus' fault? You not satisfying your wife enough..that was Klaus' fault?"

"Everything that followed was because of Niklaus' obsession with the wolves!" The anger that consumed Mikael began to rise once again, "He ventured out to watch them turn under the full moon, and he took my youngest son, Henrik. He was but a child, and he was torn apart."

"Well..if you and Esther didn't treat Klaus like some abomination and allowed him to interact with his kind.." Lola takes a step closer, glaring at the original reaching her hands out, "None of that would've happened. Again, it all falls down to you."

"Falls down to me!?" Mikael recoils, he slaps Lola so harshly across the face she falls down to the floor as Mikael seen red becoming completely enraged, "He murdered my wife! His own mother! Who sought to cleanse him of his beast-like nature! He betrayed me. He turned my entire family against me! And yet, you defend him?"

"You're an embarrassment." Holding onto her jaw, Lola comes to her feet laughing spitefully at him, "He betrayed you? He turned your entire family against you? You did that all on your own, dumbass! The both of you did. You and Esther. How the fuck can you pin all of this on Klaus? You are the author of this story. You are the one who turned your family's history into darkness."

"I've had enough of this." Mikael's hand goes against Lola's throat, forcing her to step backwards before her back hits the wall behind.

"Don't worry," Lola chokes out in an arrogant tone, "You can admit that you know I'm right. I won't tell anyone."

"You won't be telling anyone anything again." Mikael's grip around Lola's neck tightens, the dark veins appear under his eyes. He couldn't smell the vervain in Lola's blood anymore so he latches his teeth into the side of Lola's neck, feeding on her until she is unconscious. 

—✤—

Stepping out of the outskirts of the bayou, Klaus approaches the abandoned warehouse, his entire body stiffens when he sees a large rock outside of the warehouse soaked with blood. The closer he got, the stronger the scent of Lola's blood became.

He heads straight into the warehouse but not before picking up a shovel against the wall, breaking it in half and clutching hold of the wooden end. It felt like his blood ran cold as he steps into the warehouse to see Mikael holding up an unconscious Lola, blood dripping down her neck from a bite. 

Klaus' hand grips tighter around the makeshift stake, gesturing it towards Mikael, "You're gonna pay for hurting her."

Mikael sneers towards the hybrid before carelessly dropping Lola to the floor, "Aw, how sweet." Mikael watches Klaus' anxious stare going straight towards Lola on the ground. Mikael steps over Lola, stake and blade in his grasp stepping closer to Klaus, "The cur whines for it's bitch. I'll be sure to rip out her heart in front of your eyes, just before you burn."

Acid seeped into Klaus' veins, eyes darken with fury when he lunges at Mikael with the stake in his hand. He tackles Mikael to the ground but they both quickly come to their feet. Mikael pushes Klaus against the wall behind him, aiming the white oak stake directly towards Klaus' heart. Both of them grip onto it, Klaus pushing it away from his chest. 

For a split second Klaus was able to gain the upper hand, he kicks Mikael in the stomach pushing him away. Klaus wraps his arm around Mikael's throat, throwing them both directly into a concrete wall, smashing it to pieces as they fall into another part of the building. 

Lola slowly begins to get her bearings, hand clutching against her bloodied throat watching as Klaus throws Mikael back into the same room as her. Mikael attempts to come to his feet but Klaus is quicker, he kicks Mikael in the stomach before towering over him. Mikael aims the stake towards Klaus chest but the hybrid twists the original's wrist now aiming the stake towards him. 

Mikael's brows furrow, almost in disbelief as Klaus' strength making the hybrid scoff, "Not as weak as you remember, am I?"

It took less than a second. That's all it took for Mikael to get the upper hand when Klaus looks to the end of the building to see Lola coming to her feet. That's all it took. Mikael rips the stake out of Klaus' hand and stabbing the hybrid directly in his heart making Klaus scream out.

It felt like everything happened so fast that Lola couldn't even fight back the immediate heart-wrenching feeling as she screams out watching all of that unfold. Her eyes instantly became flooded with tears, unable to stop herself from screaming when she catches Klaus' gaze staring back at her when Mikael drops him to the floor. The last thing Klaus seen was the Lola he knew and loved coming back too late.

A no humanity vampire is like a puppet. The darkness that consumes them is the puppet master controlling the strings. As each string gets cut, the closer that vampire gets to walking out of the darkness that controls them. The darkness that consumed Lola only had one string left to control her until seeing the dark grey veins cover Klaus made that last string break. 

Klaus was the light to bring Lola out of the darkness all along.

With an evil smile, Mikael grabs a fistful of Lola's hair forcing her down on the ground right in front of Klaus as his body desiccates, "This.." His words were full of a venomous tone, "This is what he deserves and now you deserve to watch him burn."

Lola's eyes shut tightly as she sobs, she can't watch him burn. Darkness didn't consume her when her eyes were closed instead it was as though thousands of snippets of the life she shared with Klaus flooded in her mind. All of the happiness, the love, the heartache filled her entire soul.

She doesn't catch her breath in time when Mikael throws her to the ground. His entire face floods with concern, cautiously stepping closer to Klaus, "Why aren't you burning?" 

Lola's eyes widen, her entire body trembles as though her entire body is coming back to life to not see Klaus' burning corpse in front of her. Mikael's breathing becomes erratic as the impatient attitude and anger overtakes him, "If you were dead, it would burn. Burn!"

The original's posture stiffens looking towards another part of the building. Dark grey veins flash under his eyes when he can hear distance chanting from Davina, he walks directly towards her. With tear stained cheeks, Lola rushes to Klaus side kneeling beside him.

"Come on." Both of Lola's shaky hands wrap around the white oak imbedded in Klaus' chest and ripping it out of him straight away. Her breathing was uneven, choking on her own tears as one hand goes against the wound in his chest and the other against his cheek, "Don't do this. Please."

Those few seconds of waiting for something to happen felt like hours, Lola's eyes not pulling away from Klaus. Desperately wanting to see the colour come back against his skin. She lowers herself even more to him, crying even more when she runs her hand through his hair, "Nik, please."

"What do you think you're doing?"

Lola breathes in sharply, hand gripping hold of the white oak stake beside her. She rushes to her feet to see Mikael stepping towards her. Her grip tightens around the stake pointing it towards him, "Something that should've happened from the start. "

"I wonder which will get you killed faster.." A malicious laughter falls from Mikael's lips, "Your loyalty or your stubbornness?"

Before Mikael can get near Lola, Marcel appears from nowhere standing between him. With all his strength he pushes Mikael away from the heretic and starts hitting him over and over again to make the original go disoriented. Marcel goes to kick Mikael in the stomach but he catches Marcel's foot throwing him to the ground.

He grabs Klaus' makeshift stake aiming it at Marcel, "Now, enough! This night has been a long parade of fools." Mikael glares towards Lola still grasping hold of the white oak, "I'll enjoy killing every last one of you."

A chain gets wrapped around Mikael's neck and is yanked so hard is knocks him off his feet. It twists him around to see Hayley smirking down at him, "Yeah, I wouldn't bet on it."

Klaus awakens with a sharp gasp, coming to his feet straight away as Hayley hits the concrete block end of the chain against Mikael's face. Marcel wraps his arm around a weak Lola as all four of them join together standing in front of Mikael when Davina approaches, standing beside them all.

"It's over, Mikael." Klaus steps forward, there was no emotion on his face but deep down the pride he felt was electrifying, "You're outnumbered. Are you going to beg for your miserable life?"

"You think having people makes you strong?" Mikael mocking tone is joined with mocking laughter glaring at the group before him, "It proves how weak you are. Come find me when you don't have fools, women and children fighting your battles." He throws the makeshift stake to the floor before vamp speeding out of the building. 

The tension in the room was gone instantly, everyone breathing a sigh of relief. Marcel instantly wraps both arms around Lola, burying her face into his chest, "You okay?"

The familiar smile that always found a home against Lola's lips were back as she pulls out of Marcel's embrace, "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks to you."

Hayley clearing her throat catches Lola's attention, her smile not leaving when the brunette hybrid rushes over to her, "You're not the only one who needs a hug from this girl, Marcel." Both women wrap their arms around the other, instantly feeling relaxed in each other's arm, "I've missed you so much, Lo."

The Marshall girl breaks out of the hug first, seeing the overwhelmed look on Lola's face. Hayley looks to the side to see Klaus who locks eyes with Lola straight away. Hayley smiles faintly to him before gesturing to Marcel, "Let's give them a minute."

It was as though all of the air was gone when it was just the two of them left in the room. Neither of them knowing what to do first. Lola's gaze softens towards Klaus, the light that was always within her eyes was back, "Hi." The same contagious, bright smile graced her lips when she rushes over to Klaus just as he rushes to her, "I'm so sorry."

Klaus wraps his arms around Lola's waist, lifting her up in the air. He buries his face into the nape of her neck feeling as though everything felt right again straight away. Lola chokes back on more tears, tightening the embrace between her and Klaus, "I thought that if I acted like it didn't matter then it wouldn't."

Klaus lowers Lola onto the ground, his hands run through her honey coloured locks, hands resting against her cheeks, "You pulled the stake out just in time. A moment later and I'd of been dead." He narrows a playful stare towards his beloved, "Why did you do that?"

The heretic's shoulders slump yet her smile doesn't fade, "Because I love you, dumbass."

Klaus matches the same infatuated grin as Lola when he curls his hand around the back of her neck, crashing his lips against hers. They could feel each other's smiles against their lips and it was as though the world was empty but them. All of the fighting, hostility and heartache they'd been through was gone instantly. 

True love will always find it's way back to you. It doesn't matter whether it takes a long time or a short while. There will be a beacon of light and it will guide you back into the arms of that one person you call home.

As they break away, Klaus hands once again go against Lola's cheeks as he smiles, "I love you." He presses one more kiss against her plump lips before he lowers himself to her eye level, "There's something you need to know."

The concerned expression on Klaus' face makes Lola tense up, her eyes dance around his face, "What's happened?"

"It's Kol." Klaus' tone is low, almost like a whisper, "He's back."

Lola's breath halts at the back of her throat, she swallows harshly to coat the dryness as her eyes light up, "Kol's alive?"

Klaus' eyes soften at the hope and happiness in Lola's tone. He sighs, taking hold of both her hands, "The gentleman that was with Davina earlier tonight..that was Kol. Our mother brought him back in another body."

Everything in Lola's mind fell into place, the snarky comments..the apple. Her eyes no longer shined with hope, instead they darken with rage, "Kol's alive."

Her tone changed, no longer laced with happiness but instead irritation. She may not have had enough strength to fight against an original..but she had enough strength to fight with an original in a human's body. 

She pulls herself out of Klaus' hold, he remains in his spot not even given a moment to comprehend what is about to happen. As Lola steps outside of the warehouse, she is immediately met with the same brunette from the shack earlier with Davina in between his legs, attending to the wounds against the side of his face.

The infamous Kol smirk was plastered against his lips, standing up straight to see Lola walking towards him, "Well, well. Look who it is." He steps away from Davina, smirking at Lola, "Hello—" Lola stops Kol from finishing his sentence when she punches him against his jaw, throwing him backwards. 

Davina jaw slacks, rushing towards Kol and looking towards the heretic in utter disbelief, "Lola!"

"Easy, darling." Kol breathes out an amused breath, one hand against his jaw and the other holding out in front of Lola, "I don't heal quickly anymore. Watch the face."

Lola clicks her tongue as she laughs but it lacks humour, "That's funny. That's real funny." Her hand forms a tight fist going straight towards the other side of Kol's face punching him again. 

"Lola, what the hell!?" Davina screams out, she stands in front of the heretic with pleading eyes, "Stop it!"

The Salvatore's eyes soften in Davina's direction for a fraction of a second before she tenses up looking over to Kol, "Are you even going to apologise?"

Davina's brows knit with confusion glancing between Kol and Lola, "What's going on?"

All of the smugness against Kol's face instantly vanished. Flashbacks flood back in his mind from the last night that he seen Lola which ended with him knocking her out and locking her up. Deep down he can understand the anger she feels towards him.

Kol sighs looking towards Davina, "Can you give us a second please, love? We'll leave soon." Davina hesitates, looking over to Lola who's glare doesn't break away from Kol. She sighs before eventually walking away. Kol's entire posture relaxes, eyes soften towards his best friend, "Lottie—"

Lola's eyes stung with tears and hearing the nickname that only he calls her was the tipping point. She slaps him with all of the strength she has left making him fall backwards, harshly hitting against his car.

"Woah, woah!" Marcel vamp speeds towards them, he lowers himself to be at eye level with the heretic, "Hey, Lo, easy. What did he do?"

"It goes straight to me being the bad guy, doesn't it?" Kol scoffs as he comes to his feet, "Nothing has changed."

"I could have died, Kol!" Lola screams out, trying to break out of Marcel's hold which drops the second he hears the familiar Mikaelson's name. Marcel looks over to Kol shocked as Lola steps closer to the brunette, "You left me, locked in that stupid room after knocking me out cold!"

"I'd have come back for you if the Gilbert clang didn't kill me!"

"That's right!" Lola laughs in an exasperated manner, "And who warned you something like that was gonna happen? Oh, yeah! Me! But then you decide to ignore what I said, crack my head open and leave me to bleed out in a locked room! You think flashing an annoying ass smile and shoving an apple in my face would fix that?"

"I'm sorry! Okay?" Kol catches Lola's hand before she is able to once again hit him. He takes hold of both her hands, eyes softening towards the Salvatore, "Lottie, I'm sorry!"

"We mourned you, Kol." Lola's voice is shaky when she breaks away from Kol taking a step back, "All of us. There was a small part of me that was happy you were back." Her glossy eyes are joined with a faint smile, "My best friend was back."

The faint amount of happiness against Lola's face leaves and is replaced with anger and betrayal, "But then the first thing you do when you come back is side with your psychotic mother!"

She steps towards him as her anger builds up again but Marcel stands in front of her, "Leave him. Come on." 

He wraps his arm around Lola, motioning her to walk away. They only take a few steps before Marcel breaks away, storming towards Kol. His hands form tight fists, feeling nothing but irritation towards the younger Mikaelson after hearing what he done to Lola. Marcel punches Kol square in the jaw, knocking him out cold. 

—✤—

There was a strange feeling within the compound as night falls once again. After the altercation at the warehouse, Hayley and Marcel both informed Klaus on them being unable to find Elijah. Fearing about what Esther's plans with him may be. 

That was half of the strange feeling tonight. The anxious feeling between everyone, desperate to find Elijah. But then there was a feeling of hope in the air. There was light at the end of this dark tunnel in more ways than one.

Klaus smiled as he walked into the room where Lola was with her back to him, unaware of him being there. She clicks her fingers making dozens of candles light up simultaneously, the room being covered in a golden glow.

She jumps slightly when she turns around to see Klaus smiling towards her. His jaw slacks as though he is about to speak but Lola holds her hand up, "I just need to say something first."

Lola wraps her arms around Klaus' neck, closing the gap between them both, "Niklaus Mikaelson...I love you. I love you so much and I'm sorry. I was awful and I was a bitch." She laughs awkwardly catching the smile against Klaus' lips, "A raging bitch who did a lot of dumb shit. I did horrible things towards you, I was hateful to you and I'm going to regret that for the rest of my life. I didn't mean any of it and—"

Klaus silences Lola's apologies with a soft yet quick kiss, "I've missed you." He mumbles against her lips before breaking apart locking eyes with her, "I've missed you so much, my love. I love you."

"I should've been there for you more. We both lost Hope. It's just—" Lola can feel her throat quickly becoming dry which she swallows down the lump forming in her throat looking anywhere but at Klaus, "Losing Hope it was like I had lost most of me, all of the happiness was gone. I felt like I was nothing. While I was pregnant I never felt like I was alone because she was always there with me. Then everything happened so quick then she was gone and I just—"

 She sighs heavily, looking towards Klaus when guilt washes over her, "I felt lost. But you did too and I am so sorry I wasn't there."

Klaus shakes his head wearing a soft smile, he cups Lola's cheeks as he rests his forehead against hers, "I've got you back and soon we will have our daughter back. That's all that matters right now."

"Is Elijah here yet? I need to apologise to him too." Lola tries to walk towards the door, desperate to speak to Elijah but Klaus takes hold of her hand stopping her from doing so. She wears a confused expression looking down at their intertwined hands, "What?"

"We can't find him."

It felt like a cold shiver ran down Lola's spine hearing the pain in Klaus' tone, "What do you mean?"

"It's Esther. She's taken him." Klaus lowers his head, eyes turn glossy, "Marcel and Hayley have tried to find his whereabouts but—"

"I can find him." Lola adamantly states, "Give me your blood and I will—"

"We will both find him." Klaus tone turns calm and soft, his hands going against Lola's arms, "Together. However, I think there's something else you need to do first."

Lola breathes out, shaking her head, "What could be—" She stops herself when she notices Klaus looking down at his own watch. She sighs noticing the time, "There's still an hour left of Stefan's birthday."

"I know he will be happy to hear your voice." Klaus lowers himself to catches Lola's hesitant stare, "Call him."

Lola exhales a shaky breath, nodding to herself when Klaus leaves the room. She pulls her phone out of her pocket dialling Stefan's number straight away. She chews on her nail, anxiously pacing as she waits for the dial tone to begin. 

The slow and dull sounding dial tone was enough to make someone want to scream and only made Lola even more anxious waiting for Stefan to answer. She pulls the phone away from her ear slightly when she can hear something outside of the room, a ringtone.

Her face is full of confusion as she walks out of the room, phone still in her grasp. Turning to the side, she gasps to see Stefan standing with holding his phone out showing Lola's caller ID. Her smile beams towards her baby brother, "Stef—"

"Little sister." 

Those two words from a familiar voice behind her makes Lola's heart completely stop. She freezes in her spot, staring towards Stefan like a deer in headlights until she slowly turns around. It was like all the air in Lola's lungs evaporated to see Damon in his famous leather jacket, wearing the infamous Salvatore smirk, "Damon?"

Lola's voice is so shaky and almost silent, brows pull inwards when her eyes immediately start to fill with tears. She looks behind her to see Stefan smiling towards both of his siblings, giving Lola a nod of reassurance before she looks back towards Damon who steps closer.

She breathes out a shaky breath, wearing a faint smile as tears fall stream down her face, "It's really you?"

The corners of Damon's eyes fill with tears, smile so wide his cheeks ache as he opens his arms out, "It's really me, Lo."

Damon's smile grew even wider if that was even possible when Lola rushes towards him, immediately pulling him in a tight embrace. He chuckles wrapping his arms around her, lifting her up in the air and spinning her around, "La mia sorella fastidiosa."

My annoying sister. Annoying may have been part of the Italian nickname, but Lola still adored it. She thought so many things sounded beautiful in different languages and she didn't care about that being part of it. They created their own nicknames for each other in Italian when they were younger and it had been over a century since they last used them.

This felt like a surreal dream to Lola, unable to comprehend that this is even real. Damon lowers Lola back to the ground but she still doesn't pull away from him, fearing if she does he wouldn't actually be here.

Damon chuckles, wrapping one arm back around Lola before gesturing the other towards their baby brother who has tears in his eyes, smiling at them both, "Stefan, get in here!"

Lola would always hate it whenever her brother's would crush her in a brotherly sandwich like they always used to. But as of right now..Lola cherished it and had no intentions to let go. No matter what obstacles came their way, the three musketeers would always find their way back to each other.

—✤—

brb..crying over my own story

KLOLA ARE BACK♥️

THE THREE CHAOTIC MUSKETEERS ARE BACK♥️

all we need now is the return of lorianna and lolijah🥹

shoutout to the most amazing person in this entire world evanschris- for making the best graphic of our crazy trio😭♥️🫶🏼

MY GOD— i'm so excited to write these guys being chaotic again🫶🏼